


When I’m Gone

by notnoteworthy



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Angry Eiji, Angst, Dead boys in love, Death, Eiji lived a long and happy life, First Kiss, Fluff, Heaven, Heaven Reunion, Hugs, Hurt, Kissing, Love, M/M, Reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:02:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26567026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notnoteworthy/pseuds/notnoteworthy
Summary: In which Eiji Okumura lives a long happy life, and enter heaven to a familiar face.
Relationships: Ash Lynx & Okumura Eiji, Ash Lynx/Okumura Eiji
Comments: 6
Kudos: 127





	When I’m Gone

**Author's Note:**

> hey, i just want to preface this by saying thank you to everyone who helped motivate me to write this fic. this one’s for you :) i hope you can have a bit of closure.

It was bright. Eiji could see nothing but pure sunlight, and felt what could only be described as utter peace. It was as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. The pain in his leg was gone, and he felt like he could run for miles. His body wasn’t like it should be. He wasn’t in the body of a ninety-three year old man anymore. He was nineteen again. His hair was dark, his skin was soft and smooth. It was different, but not bad, not bad at all. 

He was dead. He figured he must have gone in his sleep, as he couldn’t remember any struggle, any pain. There was no gate he had to cross through, no clouds beneath him. Eiji was instead standing on a wooden pier. It was just before sunset. It was the pier. The pier Ash had taken him. The memory was so vivid, yet so far away. 

He was interrupted by the sound of dog barking. He turned to see a yellow fluffy dog running toward him. 

“Buddy!” he yelled.

Eiji leaned over to give his puppy a hug. Buddy was jumping all over him, and Eiji could feel a softness growing in him. A softness he hadn’t felt in a long, long time. 

“I can’t believe it’s you…”

Eiji’s head whips behind him at the voice. It’s him. Oh god, it's him, he’s really here. 

“Ash!” Eiji screams.

Ash is standing there, in a white trench coat and he looks so good and he’s really with him again. Eiji runs towards him and chokes him in an embrace. 

“I’ve missed you so much Eiji, god you don’t even know,” Ash all but whispers. 

They stay like that for a while. Hugging, foreheads pressed against one another. Holding on like the other could slip away at any moment. And then, Eiji steps back and pushes Ash away. 

“How could you? You left me! I was alone!” Eiji could feel the hot tears running down his cheeks, but he couldn’t care. Not when the anger that had been living inside him for decades was finally pooling up. 

“I’m so sorry Eiji, I had to keep you safe…” 

“Fuck you! Fuck you for thinking that my safety was more important than your own life. You died with my letter in your hands, do you know what that did to me?” Eiji’s voice cracked, “I missed you so much…”

Ash’s face dropped. Did he honestly think Eiji would be okay? After everything? Did he really value himself that little?

“I never meant to hurt you, but at that point I couldn’t stop,” Ash laughed sadly, tears staining his cheeks, “Fate, huh? I was too far up the mountain…”

“You weren’t a leopard. You could’ve changed your destiny…”

“But I couldn’t hurt you, as long as I was alive you were at risk. And I was going to you, you know that? I was running to the airport. But then fate caught up with me. I couldn’t be with you. But god Eiji, how I wanted to be with you.”

And they were in each other's arms again, Ash slowly stroking Eiji’s hair, whispering apologies to him. Eiji felt a sting leave his heart. Like a part of his soul had returned. He felt the pain of those haunted memories becoming warm again. Those years looking for someone who was gone drifted away.

“I never stopped searching for you…” Eiji whispered.

“It’s okay, you found me. I’m here. I’m here…” Ash breathed. 

They stayed like that for a few moments, holding one another. Like they were the other’s lifeline. Eventually, they moved apart.

“You have so much to tell me! How’s my guys? Sing?”

“Sing is good! He married a lovely girl. He grew so much! I wish you could’ve seen it, he’s so tall! He’s a businessman,” Eiji smiles, “Your guys were lost without you, but they managed to move forward. Some even went to university! A lot of them stayed in the game though…”

“Sing? You’re telling me that short ass kid actually grew?” Ash laughed, “How was your life? What did you end up doing?” 

“I became a photographer! I moved to New York, permanently. I was quite successful! I had showcases, people really liked my perspective of New York.”

Eiji felt warm all over thinking of his time alive. He truly had experienced some beautiful things, and met some beautiful people. He spent his life safe and loved by those around him. His friends, parents, and sister all played an active role in building Eiji back up after everything came tumbling down. 

“A successful photographer, I’d never expected anything less from you Eiji, your photography is gorgeous, at least from what I had the chance to see” Ash nudged Eiji in the shoulder.

Eiji could feel a flush appearing on his cheeks from the compliment.

“Well, I had the most supportive people around me. I also had Buddy, though it appears you two have already met,” Eiji replied. 

“Yeah, he appeared a while ago, and we get along great! He was always waiting for you, I think,” Ash smiled, “though I can’t blame him for wanting to be around you. Something about you is the epitome of comfort. Those two years I spent with you, Eiji… they were the best years of my life. I’d never been that happy, that cared for.”

Ash grabbed Eiji’s hands, “I know I hurt you… and I’ll never forgive myself for that. But, I want you to know I love you. I never would’ve made it that long without you… I’d never really felt alive until I met you.”

“Ash...” Eiji whispered. 

Slowly, they move closer to each other. The tension between them was magnetic, as if their bodies gravitating together were the most natural thing in the world. Ash leaned down, asking for permission in his eyes. As if there were no wrong answer. Eiji pushed himself up, pressing Ash’s mouth against his. All of Eiji’s thoughts cleared. It felt like nothing even mattered as long as they had each other. Ash’s lips were warm and soft and everything Eiji had imagined. Slowly, they pulled back. They had all the time in the world.

Ash grabbed Eiji’s hand, a wild smile on his face.

“Come on, Shorter’s been dying to see you.”

**Author's Note:**

> hey, thank you for reading ! i tried my best and i’m happy with how this came out ! i’m sorry it’s so short but it brought me some closure. you can find me on twitter @/ eijiskates


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